On the 24th February, all Swindon Borough Councillors took part in a debate on the Council Tax budget for 2014/15.

The Conservatives £140 million budget proposed to freeze Council Tax, while allocating £300,000 for flood drainage works and £350,000 extra for more pothole and road repairs. The budget included £25,000 to create the entrance to Nythe Allotments off Greenbridge Road and build car parking spaces for residents to use.

The Labour party rejected the Conservatives budget and proposed to remove the £25,000 allocated for Nythe Allotments so that it was spent on giving the money to consultants to complete a road study.

Dale Heenan, “Labour always like to try taking the moral high ground but their two faced behaviour has been thoroughly exposed. On the one hand they want to attack the Conservatives for using expert independent consultants, and on the other hand they propose spending £600,000 on more consultants based on seeing a powerpoint presentation.

What will really stick in the throat for local residents is that Labour’s budget was founded on cutting off important community projects like Nythe Allotments. A senior Labour Councillor even attacked Nythe Allotments in his budget speech.”